If you are estranged from your adult child, if your child has cut you out of his or her life—whether for a long or short time—it is a gut-wrenching experience. When your child cuts you out of her life it provokes deep feelings of shame, guilt, bewilderment, and hurt, all of which can easily turn... Read more »
“You can live with a broken heart, and you can die with one, but it’s terrible to have to do both.” --Quote from an estranged parent I’ve witnessed and have been affected by a parent-child relationship dissolving within my own family. There have also been many stories shared with our parent coaching team by parents going through either... Read more »
Just after my daughter turned 2, her father and I separated and divorced; he was abusive and drank too much. When my daughter was 3 her father lost his visitation privileges as a result of his continued violent and abusive behavior. He had passed up many ‘supervised’ visits throughout the year so it came as... Read more »
Recently, I was sitting at lunch with a friend, swapping stories about our families. I shared that I was concerned about how my adult stepdaughter was doing—she was facing a difficult situation thousands of miles away from home. “Well,” my friend said, “You don’t have to worry about that. You’re not her real mom.” You’re not... Read more »
Parenting is never easy, but when you have a blended family—with bio-kids and stepkids, your spouse’s ex, and other extended family members thrown into the mix—things can get very difficult very quickly. We receive questions every week in Empowering Parents from readers who ask: “How can I discipline my stepkids effectively and get their respect?... Read more »
Over the years, many parents in blended families have come to me about stepchild disrespect. In some cases, their stepkids didn't respect them, and in others, their biological child didn't respect their new spouse. Often, the kids were rude or obnoxious, saying things like, "You're not my father; I don't have to listen to you!"... Read more »
Whether you are recently divorced or have been for some time, don't worry that you have ruined your child's life. You haven't. While divorce can be a big part of your child's life, what will determine their ultimate quality of life is still in the hands of each parent. Can children be affected negatively by... Read more »
Vicki is the single mother of Alex (12), Ryan (8), and Jessica (6). To make ends meet, she works two jobs: she works as a receptionist during the week and a part-time caterer on weekends. She has been divorced from Mike, a supervisor for a building contractor, for two years. Her relationship with Mike is... Read more »
With so many divorced parents and blended families out there, differences in parenting crop up all the time. If you are divorced or separated from your child's other parent, your experience may range from peaceful co-parenting to all-out warfare. Different houses with different rules and different parenting styles can make the experience of parenting even... Read more »
Jan is a sixty-five-year-old grandmother who was given custody of her two grandsons, aged 8 and 15, after her daughter was jailed for drug abuse. “At first, it was a joy to have them in our house,” said Jan, whose grandchildren came to live with her one year ago. “They seemed so happy to be... Read more »
